Handpicked by Our Editors

Matilda
Age 8+
5

Matilda

Why We Recommend It

Clever Matilda handles bullying kids and berating adults with fantastical solutions that bend slightly dark and surreal.

Read our full review
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Movies New in Theaters

showing: documentary
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Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this hugely anticipated Michael Jackson concert movie is age-appropriate for King of Pop fans in the older tween range and up. Expect a few of Jackson's standard suggestive dance moves (there's plenty of crotch-grabbing, for ... read more

Age 10+
Michael Jackson's This Is It
4
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Good Hair (2009, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this Chris Rock documentary includes some mature themes related to race, femininity, and class. There's a fair amount of strong language (a couple of "f--k"s, as well as "s--t," "bitch," and the like), ... read more

Age 14+
Good Hair
4
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Capitalism: A Love Story (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that, like all of Michael Moore's documentaries, this film has a very definite point of view and blurs the line between factual analysis and opinion. There's some analysis and information here, but viewers will also be presented with ... read more

Age 14+
Capitalism: A Love Story
2
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More Than a Game (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that if kids are old enough to love basketball and idolize LeBron James, you couldn't ask for a better documentary than More Than a Game. There's a strong emphasis on teamwork, family, and friendship -- the implication being that James ... read more

Age 10+
More Than a Game
3
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X Games 3D: The Movie (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this sports documentary showcases high-energy, high-risk stunts performed by expert professionals. There's a high degree of danger in these events, and viewers see plenty of high-altitude falls and bone-jarring crashes. Kids will ... read more

Age 11+
X Games 3D: The Movie
3
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Under the Sea 3D (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that the filmmakers have minimized the predator-prey relationships in this 3D nature documentary: Even though there's vivid evidence of the food chain at work, those few scenes are presented gently, as part of a natural process. ... read more

Age 6+
Under the Sea 3D
4
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America the Beautiful (2008, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that this documentary -- which examines many Americans' unhealthy fixation with physical beauty -- looks at how the fashion and entertainment industries perpetuate an unrealistic image of female perfection that can lead to low ... read more

Age 14+
America the Beautiful
3

New on DVD

showing: documentary
Food.png
Food, Inc. (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this documentary is a hard-hitting exposé on the food industry, especially the elite group of powerful corporations behind most of the food on supermarket counters. Most teens may not be interested, even though the documentary is ... read more

Age 13+
Food, Inc.
4
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Earth (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that this stunning nature documentary portrays how animals around the world are born, live, and, yes, die. Although there aren't any grisly shots of predators ripping apart their prey, there are disturbing scenes in which animals are ... read more

Age 6+
Earth
4
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Boy Interrupted (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this documentary looks at the life and death of Evan Perry, a teenager who killed himself after a decade-long struggle with bipolar disorder. While the film is informative, it focuses primarily on Evan's family's attempts to cope ... read more

Age 14+
Boy Interrupted
4
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Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (2009, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that this 3D concert is G-rated. There's nothing inappropriate to keep away the hordes of adoring primary-school fans, who along with their tween and teen counterparts, will want to see their beloved Kevin, Joe, and Nick burn up on ... read more

Age 7+
Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
3
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Religulous (2009, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that this provocative documentary about religion in the modern world is meant for adults. Star Bill Maher makes no claims to impartiality; he's unwavering in his belief that humans can't possibly know if there's a god and that religions ... read more

Age 16+
Religulous
4
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The Black List: Vol. 1 (2009, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this thought-provoking documentary -- which features prominent African Americans talking about how they feel about their race and racial identity within a predominantly white culture -- is one to watch and discuss with your teens. ... read more

Age 14+
The Black List: Vol. 1
5
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Girls Rock! (2009, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this empowering documentary, while not perfect, has a strong positive message about building young girls' confidence. The girls at the center of the action are shown trying to shed their feelings of disenfranchisement, and all of the ... read more

Age 8+
Girls Rock!
3
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American Teen (2008, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this eye-opening documentary was the breakout hit at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and has been heavily promoted via MTV, so teens may well want to see it. It follows real high-school seniors from the small town of Warsaw, Ind., ... read more

Age 15+
American Teen
4
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Encounters at the End of the World (2008, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that this beautiful documentary -- which follows filmmaker Werner Hertzog to various scientific and research stations at the South Pole -- is fairly dry stuff, particularly compared to similarly themed audience-friendly docs like March of ... read more

Age 7+
Encounters at the End of the World
3
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Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (2008, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this treatment of the subject of evolution contains a number of hot-button topics. From the existence of God to the destruction of humans in the name of racial purity, this documentary pokes at a lot of sensitive topics. It's the ... read more

Age 14+
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
3
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Slacker Uprising (2008, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that this documentary -- which chronicles Michael Moore's 62-city, 20-state tour of "swing states" to get out the vote in favor of John Kerry for the 2004 election -- is a lengthy harangue against George W. Bush, the Iraq War, ... read more

Age 14+
Slacker Uprising
1
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War Dance (2008, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that though this film is uplifting, some of the stories told by the children in this movie depict graphic horrors of war. Some speak of murder, some speak of abduction. The film takes place in a refugee camp in Northern Uganda where ... read more

Age 14+
War Dance
5
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Bigger, Stronger, Faster (2008, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this documentary discusses the benefits and downsides of illegal and legal drug use and not in a balanced manner. Because the director interviews his brothers who use anabolic steroids and other drugs, his perspective is skewed and ... read more

Age 16+
Bigger, Stronger, Faster
3
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Young @ Heart (2008, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this is a documentary about senior citizens, which might, to teens, sound like a snore. It isn't. The film is alive with music and resilience. But over the course of the movie, two chronically ill members of the chorus die and ... read more

Age 8+
Young @ Heart
4
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Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? (2008, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that even though this documentary includes animation and director/star Morgan Spurlock's trademark humor, it's not aimed at younger children. It deals with difficult themes -- terrorism, morality, birth, and death -- in ways that are both ... read more

Age 13+
Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?
3
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Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008, Rated G)
Parents Need to Know...

that there's no content in this much-hyped 3D event film that's inappropriate for grade-schoolers and tweens -- who will probably be dying to see it, given Hannah Montana's enormous popularity. Miley/Hannah is likable, wholesome, and ... read more

Age 7+
Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert
3
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Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show (2008, Rated R)
Parents Need to Know...

that the language in this documentary -- which follows Vince Vaughn and a company of comedians on the road -- is not for the faint of heart. The foul language is colorful (every form of "f--k" you can think of and more) and ... read more

Age 16+
Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show
3
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The 11th Hour (2008, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that although this environmental documentary is very talky, tweens and teens may be interested thanks to producer/star Leonardo DiCaprio. The film addresses some complicated issues in language that may go over younger kids' heads. It also ... read more

Age 13+
The 11th Hour
3
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In the Shadow of the Moon (2008, Rated PG)
Parents Need to Know...

that this documentary mentions the riots and upheavals of the 1960s, as well as the dangers of the Apollo moon flights, with much time devoted to the launch-pad fire that killed three astronauts on the ground. There is also Buzz Aldrin's ... read more

Age 9+
In the Shadow of the Moon
4
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The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2008, Rated PG-13)
Parents Need to Know...

that this is not a King Kong related movie in any form, but a rollicking documentary about extreme video gaming. The PG-13 rating from the MPAA is unwarranted, even though there are a few swear words and brief glimpses of sexy still ... read more

Age 11+
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
3
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Jackass 2.5 (2007, Rated NR)
Parents Need to Know...

that they can expect more of the usual from the Jackass crew this time around: dangerous and often downright stupid stunts and pranks (like seeing how hard a snapping turtle will bite their nose or whether baby powder can be used to show ... read more

Age 16+
Jackass 2.5
1
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